SCOTTSDALE, ARI. - It was a challenging day for the Madison College baseball team Saturday, and not just due to the the numbers on the scoreboard. The WolfPack lost 9-2 and 11-7 in a pair of seven-inning games at Scottsdale Community College, but also dealt with a variety of injury concerns throughout.

Game #1: Scottsdale Community College 9, Madison College 2

Madison College scored first for the fourth consecutive game, but would fail to change the scoreboard the rest of the game. The struggles to produce with runners on started in the first inning when Cade Bunnell struck out with runners at second and third.

In the third, Logan Michaels and Sage Bruhl each drew walks ahead of a Nick Blomgren single that loaded the bases. A fielder's choice off the bat of Ty Jandrowski brought in the game's first run and a fielding error by the shortstop off a Cade Bunnell grounder plated the second. An inning later the 'Pack worked the bases loaded again and forced the Artichokes into a pitching change, but back-to-back fielder's choices forced outs at home and second to end the inning.

The game - and day - took a turn in the bottom of the fourth. A two-out pop fly to shallow left saw shortstop Sage Bruhl and left fielder Chase Scharnek collided, allowing the ball to drop and two runs to score. During the next batter, sophomore starter Theo Denlinger (0-1) sustained an injury to his throwing arm and was forced to exit after the Cuba City, Wisconsin, native tossed 3 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. The righty struck out four, walked three, and surrendered two hits. Freshman Darren Strasburg was forced into action, and was greeted with a two-run home run to right field that put Scottsdale ahead 4-2.

The injury bug struck again when Ty Jandrowski left after tweaking an upper leg injury when legging out a double to lead of the fifth. The former Kenosha Bradford athlete did not return for the rest of the day.

The Artichokes pulled away in the sixth with five more runs against Strasburg and the WolfPack defense, taking advantage of five hits and a walk. Strasburg, from Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and a transfer from McHenry County College, finished with six runs and six hits against him, while recording a strikeout and a base on balls.

Madison College was outhit by a 8-5 margin, with five different players recording a base hit. Jandrowski, Bryce Plate, and Garrett McGraw each had a double.

Game #1: Scottsdale Community College 9, Madison College 2

The WolfPack were fast to put the doubleheader opener behind them and got to work with a three-run top of the first in game two, marking the fifth consecutive game Madison scored first and the fourth game in five played they put up at least one run in the opening half inning. Bryce Plate and Zach Bailey opened with singles, and Nick Blomgren loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Kansas State transfer Cade Bunnell forced in a run with groundout to first base, and sophomore Chris Lund cleared the rest of the bases with a two-run double to deep right.

Fellow second year Sam Lund made his season debut and was tagged early by the Scottsdale (17-10) lineup. A leadoff triple followed by a groundout produced the first run, and a bomb to centerfield by first baseman Alex Penner to make it a 3-2 contest.

The second saw the WolfPack have a potential run tagged out at home and the inning end with a pair of runners left in scoring position. 

Sam Lund ran into trouble again in the third as the Stoughton, Wisconsin, native began with a walk and a hit-by-pitch before an infield single made it 3-3. A second HBP loaded the bases, which were promptly cleared with a triple that handed the Chokes a 6-3 advantage.

Madison College pulled back within a run after RBI's from Bailey and Blomgren, however, another massive homer from Penner, this time to right field, in the bottom of the 4th made it 8-5. Another run-producing hit by Bailey cut it to a two-run deficit in the sixth, but the 'Pack entered the seventh trailing by five. Chris Lund doubled in Caleb Hurt and the WolfPack loaded the bases to bring the tying run to the plate. After the Artichokes went to the bullpen, Plate grounded out to first to end the game.

Zach Bailey finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Chris Lund and Bryce Plate each racked up two hits. Lund had a team-leading three runs batted in and Plate a team-best two scored.

Sam Lund (0-1) last 3 2/3 innings with eight earned runs on seven hits, four walks, and three K's to take his first loss of the season. Freshman Jon-Anthony Caban tossed 1 2/3 innings in relief with two earned on one hit, and Tyler Strzelcyk finished the final 2/3 with just a hit and a walk.

Madison College (2-3) will play it's sixth game in four days since arriving in the desert when they take on #4 GateWay Community College (10-16). The WolfPack have dropped five straight against the Geckos since picking up a 7-4 win in the opener of the 2014 doubleheader. GateWay owns a 7-3 lead all-time. The game will be played at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Arizona. First pitch is slated for noon in Arizona (2:00 pm CT).



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